" THE LAST POUND BREAKS THE MARE'S BACK." 79 



in a minute. This, of course, is at the rate of sixty 

 miles an hour (supposing them to have done it), but 

 then it merely shows in how short a space of time 

 they could do a mile, but in no way shows how fast 

 they could go. If they could do a mile in a minute, 

 I have no doubt, that, instead of the rate of sixty 

 miles an hour being their speed, they could do perhaps 

 half a distance at the rate of a hundred ; and I think 

 it very probable that where, as it is sometimes the 

 case in a slow -run short race, horses are quite fresh 

 when called on at the finish, they often do go a 

 hundred yards at that pace. I believe it requires 

 little argument to prove, that if a horse is doing 

 his best, he can do no more ; so, supposing two horses, 

 each carrying 8st. 71b., or any other weight, have 

 run a dead heat, by which we will conclude each had 

 done his very best, neither being able to do more ; if 

 we put two pounds additional on either, he must 

 lose. A tea-spoonful of wine will not make a 

 perceptible difference in a large glass half full : when 

 apparently full to the brim, we know the glass will 

 hold considerably more, because, like the race-horse 

 being as we imagine at his best when he is not so, 

 the glass looks full, but is not so ; but if we really fill it 

 and could divide a drop, one half of that drop would 

 cause it to run over : so when a horse has so much on 

 his back that the extent of his speed and powers only 

 enables him to run a dead heat with another, a pound 

 would lose it. This is, I allow, an extreme case ; 

 but something very near it constantly occurs in 

 racing ; and where horses are very equally matched, 

 each being at his very best, a mere trifle of weight 

 must turn the scale. Where a race is won easily, we 

 can only guess at what would bring horses toge- 



